THE DESIGNER
Jona Bednjanec completed her undergraduate and postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering in Ljubljana, majoring in Textile and Fashion Design. During her studies, she participated yearly in final fashion shows and projects. She presented her work independently for the first time at the Stylo competition (in cooperation with Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Ljubljana) in Koper, where she also won the first prize for the most innovative, technologically designed collection. Since then, she has been presenting her work in both international and domestic market. Her main design focus is knitting, through which she expresses herself artistically through colours and patterns, as well as knitting technology.
During her university years, Jona participated in the annual student fashion shows as part of the Ljubljana Fashion Week. She won the first prize for her first independent knitwear collection Viva la Balkan, where she drew inspiration from Balkan folklore and presented it at the Stylo competition in Koper (2018). She won the Digi Wow award for her Granny Takes a Trip collection, which she presented independently for the first time at Ljubljana Fashion Week (2019). She also actively participates in various pop-up events, such as Pop-UpStart in cooperation with the Centre for Creativity in Maribor (2019) and pop-up sales exhibition in cooperation with 5WAY in Milan (2020) and Res – Res pop – up in Copenhagen (2022).
THE BRAND
Jona Bednjanec is a contemporary and value driven knitwear brand crafted locally and intended to be worn globally. Jona majored in Textile and Fashion design in Ljubljana, with main focus on knitwear development and design. Inspired by a world of knitting and textiles, Jona explores and celebrates the richness of knitting technology, focused on patterns and colors. In a short few years Jona made intricate and diverse knitwear collections, for some of them she was rewarded for using a rich and interesting combinations of colors and knitting technology transformed into modern textiles. Innovation within her products and collections is incorporated through a use of a knitting knowledge that is both modern and interesting in terms of design and different knitting techniques combined together. Knitwear is made and developed by her on knitting machine or by hand. As a local Unicorn brand her goal is to keep small Slovene knitting manufacturing still alive and to raise awarenes of handmade pieces and textile heritage in Slovenia. She regulary collaborates with small local family owned knitwear production run by the second generation of knitters, where knitting skills are passed down from generation to generation. Every piece is made and produced in Slovenia. Colorful and different range of products can be found in stores around Europe and United States. Jona collaborates on a number of projects with local and international designers and groups. She also showcases her work through independent or group exhibitions in Slovenia. Jona’s main goal is to design products that last. To reduce textile waste and because of the use of yarns that are leftovers from production waste - dead stock, she makes the majority of products in small batches, one of a kind collections or made to order products. She gathers buttons and other materials that are produced and made in Slovenia.
THE COLLECTION
The collection celebrates the richness of knit textures designed into colorful graphic patterns using cotton based yarns.